Balancing and exercising device



0, 1966 R. A. JONKER 3,269,746

BALANCING AND EXERCISING DEVICE Filed Oct. '7, 1964 INVENTOR Aznlz 14. Janka]:

United States Patent Office Patented August 30, 1966 3,269,746 BALANCING AND EXERCISING DEVICE Ruth A. .lonker, 1032 S. Howard St., Tacoma, Wash. Filed Oct. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 402,304 2 Claims. (Cl. 28087.04)

This invention of a balancing device relates to the art of amusement, as Well as exercise, and more particularly to a device in the fonm of a board supported by a single wheel, a board on which one stands and moves the board in any desired direction while balancing by a twisting motion.

A study of balancing devices that relate to the amusement (balancing devices upon which one stands), shows that in every instance the device is not only a complicated one, but also one having many parts that are costly to fabricate and assemble. This results in a device that retails for a price that many people cannot afford to pay, and also one that is subject to a certain amount of maintenance which cannot always be done by the owner, thereby adding additional cost and inconvenience to the person desiring to use the same.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide a balancing device of the nature herein illustrated and described that consists of a minimum number of parts, subject to little or no care, yet giving maximum entertainment to its user.

Another object of this invention is to provide a balancing device on which anyone can stand according to his own skill in standing upOn a moving object.

Another object of this invention is to provide a balancing device that can be mass produced and retailed at a price nearly anyone can afford.

Another object of this invention is to provide a balancing device having a platform in the form of a board that can be of nearly any desired shape, and manufactured from wood, metal, plastic or any other desired material and/or combination of materials, one that can be decorated according to ones desires or provided with advertising matter.

Another object of this invention is to provide a balancing device that is adapted to improve ones co-ordination of muscles and other beneficial effects of exercise, as well as to develop better balance control for people of all ages.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a balancing device that will not only amuse the person standing upon the same, but also anyone who is watching ones efforts to maintain equilibrium and move the device about on its single wheel.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims; it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportion and minor details of construction, without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of this invention.

FIGURE 3 is a perspectiwe view of this invention having a different shaped board.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of this invention in actual use.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like parts are indicated by like reference numerals, the numeral 7 indicating a flat round board to the underside of which is secured the top plate 8 of the caster type of wheel 9 that is mounted on the angularly disposed ax-le 10 which is basically Z-shaped and which has its vertical member 11 extending upward through the center of the tube 12 that is integral with the aforesaid top plate 8 that is secured to the flat round board 7 by means of a plurality of screws 13 or their equivalent. The aforesaid wheel 9 of this invention is provided with a beveled periphery 14 as is clearly shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawing.

FIGURE 3 of the drawing illustrates this inwention having a rectangular board 15 in place of the round one shown in the other figures of the drawing. FIGURE 3 also illustrates the word Twister that is painted or otherwise placed upon the top of the board since I personally prefer to call this invention of mine a Twister or Ilwister Board since one must more or less make this configuration or movement with their body in order to stand upon the top of the board as is being done in FIG- URE 4 of the drawing.

Although it is not absolutely necessary, it is desirable that the aforesaid wheel 9 be mounted in ball or roller bearing upon the angularly disposed axle 10 and that the vertical member 11 be likewise mounted in the aforesaid tube 12 of the top plate 8 although no bearings of any kind are shown in the drawing for reasons of clarity. The aforesaid wheel 8, of course, swivels in a complete horizontally disposed circle as the device is being used as is indicated by the dash lines in the already mentioned FIGURE 4 of the drawing. FIGURE 4 also illustrates the way that the user stands with his feet on the opposite sides of vertical member 11 of the axle 10. The wheel and its associated parts are preferably of steel for reason of long wear.

From the foregoing description it is obvious that I have invented a simple, practical, and ingenious apparatus which is a balancing device which is both for amusement and muscle coordination purposes, a device which as previously stated, but in different words, is one that can be used by young and old alike.

What I now clairn as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A balancing board of the class described, comprising a flat board to the underside of which is secured the top plate of a caster type of wheel that has a beveled periphery, the said wheel supporting the said flat board by means of a Z-shaped member having an angularly disposed axle extending through the center of the said wheel and a vertical portion swivela'bly mounted through the center of a vertical member that is integral with the center of the said top plate.

2. A balancing board Otf the class described, comprising a flat board to the underside of which is secured the top plate of a caster type of wheel that has a beveled periphery, the said wheel supporting the said flat board by means of a Z-shaped member having an angularly disposed axle extending through the center of the said wheel and a vertical portion swivela'bly mounted through the center of a vertical member that is integral with the center of the said top plate, and both the said wheel and the said vertical member being mounted in ball or roller bearings.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS (Other references on following page) UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Saunders. 842,462 5/1952 Germany. mfig f; BENJAMIN HERSH, Fri nary Examiner. coplin et 1 2 2 5 5 A. HARRY LEVY, Exammer.

Verge 272-57 X C. C. PARSONS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A BALANCING BOARD OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED, COMPRISING A FLAT BOARD TO THE UNDERSIDE OF WHICH IS SECURED THE TOP PLATE OF A CASTER TYPE OF WHEEL THAT HAS A BEVELED PERIPHERY, THE SAID WHEEL SUPPORTING THE SAID FLAT BOARD BY MEANS OF A Z-SHAPED MEMBER HAVING AN ANGULARLY DISPOSED AXLE EXTENDING THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE SAID WHEEL AND A VERTICAL PORTION SWIVELABLY MOUNTED THROUGH THE CENTER OF A VERTICAL MEMBER THAT IS INTEGRAL WITH THE CENTER OF THE SAID TOP PLATE. 